By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Orlando, Florida, at the WWE Performance Center
Aired live July 29, 2025, on The CW Network
[Hour One] The show started with the entire roster gathered in the ring and surrounding it. A ten bell salute occurred, honoring the late and great Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea, who passed away last week. A Hulk Hogan tribute video aired…
The show went right to commercial…[c]
Highlights from last week’s NXT show aired…
Vic Joseph, Corey Graves, and Booker T were on commentary. Mike Rome was the ring announcer…
The commentary team noted that Ethan Page vs. Santino Marella would be the main event of this week’s NXT…
Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Jaida Parker vs. Jazmyn Nyx (w/Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley). Parker used a collar and elbow to trap Nyx in the corner. Nyx came back with her soccer roundhouse kicks. Jaida caught one and returned fire with a forearm. Nyx hit Jaida with a springboard dropkick for a nearfall. The crowd was having fun with custom chants for Parker. Parker hit Nyx with a Blockbuster for a nearfall. Nyx came back with a whip and leg lariat.
Nyx put Parker in a modified side Muta Lock. Parker got to a vertical base and gave Nyx a backdrop. Both women traded right hands in the center of the ring. Nyx hit Parker with a Pele Kick for a nearfall. Parker rallied with chops and a backfist (that caught a lot of air). Parker hit Nyx in the corner with her signature draping Banzai Drop. Parker hit Nyx with Hip Notic for the victory.
Jaida Parker defeated Jazmyn Nyx via pinifall in 4:10.
Jayne and Henley checked on Nyx, with Jayne berating Nyx for losing…
Je’von Evans was dapping it up with people backstage. Evans then ran into High Ryze and clowned on them for not having Trick’s back last week. Evans then ran into the New Chase U to listen to Chase’s pep talk to his two students. Evans told Uriah and Connor to take their teacher’s advise, just like he’s gong to take Undertaker’s advice…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Standard formula to set up one of Jayne’s upcoming challengers for the NXT Women’s Title. The formula of beating the two underlings before chasing the champion (interesting to see Henley cast in the “underling” role by default due to Jayne being pushed now as double champ). To do TNA a solid by having a strong champion come into Bound for Glory to drop the Knockouts strap, I wonder if it’s the plan to keep Jayne double champ until mid-October to have her go into TNA’s biggest show of the year with credibility.
Vic Joseph plugged the return of LJN action figures, starting with the Hulk Hogan LJN action figure pre-orders (Oh shoot! LJN is such a throwback. Can we get LJN video games too? They sucked, but were guilty pleasures)…
Je’von Evans made his entrance. Evans talked about Undertaker giving him advise on facing the biggest dog in the yard. Before he could call out anybody, TNA World Champion Trick Williams made his entrance. Trick said he was here to give Je’von Evans advise, three things not to do: pull superman’s cape, try Trick Williams, or try the biggest blockbuster draw of NXT and TNA, Trick Williams. Trick said he’s hotter now than ever and Evans better mind his own business.
Evans said Trick comes out with big dawg energy, but he got laid out with a chokeslam by Taker last week. Trick said he did get chokeslamed, but he’s still the biggest thing in NXT and TNA. Evans said he didn’t even come out here to call out Trick, he came out to call out Oba Femi. Trick said the disrespect is all cool. Trick said Oba Femi wishes he were Trick Willy. Trick said Oba has lust in his eyes, and wishes he has Trick’s hair cut. Trick said he’s going to join Jacy Jayne as double champion sooner or later.
Evans said he’s fine erasing Trick from the equation if he goes after the NXT title. Wes Lee and High Ryze made their entrance. Wes said that Trick is at a whole notha level than Evans. Wes said Evans doesn’t have what it takes to be champion. Wes talked about how people have a connection with the WWE Universe, but sometimes leave empty handed.
Wes said he’s credible to say that because he’s the best NXT North American Champion. Wes said Evans can go, but High Ryze will stop Evans in his tracks. Evans said he’ll start things out with Wes. Evans threw hands at Wes, but was beat down due to the numbers advantage. Trick, Dupont, and Igwe held Evans in place for Wes to hit Evans with the Kardiak Kick. Wes took the mic and said he’s going to set something up with Ava so he can lay Je’von’s ass out again…[c]
John’s Thoughts: I was wondering if it’s too soon to push Evans to the NXT title level way way before Stand and Deliver, because I’d think that would be saving his main event push for then (they can have him win the North American title first. Plus, selfishly I want Je’von Evans vs. Leon Slater for Bound for Glory given how they are mirror images of each other in a good way). Not sure why they have High Ryze as a part of Trick’s act on the NXT show? Just bring over AJ Francis and KC Navarro since they are doing a great job as Trick’s entourage on Thursday Nights (And I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Top Dolla back on NXT because he’s improved IMMENSELY since his “Flop dolla” days, which I thought was overblown. He’s a great talker, and a fine in-ring worker from his recent big matches).
Kale and Uriah were standing in front of the men’s locker room door, saying they were going after the NXT Tag Champions who they see as the biggest dogs in the yard. Uriah Connors peeked in and thinks hank and Tank saw them. Kale and Uriah stormed the room, but Hank and Tank were ready with fighting poses. Hank said all Kale and Uriah had to do was ask for a title shot. Tank said they love Andre Chase. Kale and Uriah shook hands with Hank and Tank. Andre Chase berated Kale and Uriah for their dumb sneak attack strategy…
Vic Joseph plugged WWE’s podcast lineup…
No Quarter Catch Crew made their entrance together. A replay aired of Bully Ray Dudley setting up this rematch with the same stipulations as their last match, if Tavion wins, he is free from NQCC…
2. Tavion Heights vs. Charlie Dempsey (w/Wren Sinclair). Both men started out with amateur wrestling chain holds. Dempsey got Heights in a wristhold after an Aikido hip toss. For some reason, Joe Hendry’s signature turn interfered with the TV feed for a second. Heights hit Dempsey with a shoulder tackle. Heights worked on Dempsey with some restholds. Both men took each other out with stereo running crossbodies.[c]
Back from break, Height mounted his comeback with a backdrop and axe handles. Heights beat up Dempsey at ringside. Dempsey shoved Heights off the steel steps and then sent Tavion’s shoulder into the steel steps. Dempsey used a Dragon Screw to put Tavion into a Single Leg Crab. Wren looked under the ring to find a white towel due to Heights being in the hold for a bit. Heights escaped and got a two count after an inside cradle.
Heights hit Dempsey with a flying clothesline. Tavion deadlifted Dempsey into a Fireman Carry from a Cartwheel into an Attitude Adjustment for a nearfall. Height hit Dempsey with a High Belly to Belly for the victory.
Tavion Heights defeated Charlie Dempsey via pinfall in 10:11.
Heights and Dempsey shook hands after the match…
Trick Williams was chatting with High Ryze backstage. Wes asked Trick if he can hook Dupont and Igwe with a TNA Tag Title shot. Santino Marella showed up and cut in. He said he’s not an authority figure tonight, but he’s here to take the North American title off Ethan “Pa gae”. Santino told Trick to not get too comfortable as TNA champ because the title will come home soon…
Blake Monroe was shown walking backstage…[c]
John’s Thoughts: An okay match, though I thought their last one with the towel throw was a bit better (not the wonk finish, but the meat of the match). While I’m surprised it seems like they are just blowing off the storyline, I’m okay with it as there wasn’t much steam behind Dempsey holding Heights hostage to begin with. Heights has a high ceiling, no pun intended. So far, since Myles Borne left, he did have a big initial push, but has cooled down quick. Here’s hoping they start from scratch with Tavion in terms of character development so he can wipe away some of the midcard comedy stank he’s accumulated from being in NQCC for so long.
[Hour Two] Blake Monroe made her glamour mirror entrance. Blake Monroe took the mic and called out Booker T for mistaking her name on commentary last week. Blake said of Booker T messes up her name again, he’ll end up in a local medical facility like Jordynne Grace. Blake then noted that people can relate to Grace because she’s not good enough. Blake said Grace is not a superstar, but rather a background player or extra.
A screenshot aired of Grace over a decade ago as a WWE backstage extra. Blake then mocked a photo of Grace when she was a bit thicker before her body transformation. Blake said when Grace looks in the mirror now, even though she transformed her body, she sees gym membership potential, not championship potential. Blake talked about how her looks got WWE fans to buy her merch and go crazy about her.
She said she’s not here to play nice, but here to be the woman the brand revolves around. Lola Vice made her entrance to interrupt. Vice said she doesn’t understand how Blake can be so beautiful on the outside, but ugly on the inside. Vice said Blake will never be the champion of the deepest women’s division. Vice said while she was representing WWE in Mexico at AAA, Blake was taking selfies backstage.
Jaida Parker made her entrance. Parker said people can talk about evolution or viral. Parker said she don’t need none of that to make noise, because she’s Jaida Parker. She said she’s not chasing clout, she’s chasing the NXT Women’s Championship. Blake was about to mock Lola and Parker. Jordynne Grace’s theme played, but Kelani Jordan made her entrance, joking she’s not the “Jordan” people expected. She said you can’t talk about the future without talking about Kelani Jordan.
Jordan told Blake to prove herself against a former champion. She said on Blake’s best day “you can’t do it like Lani”. Blake said it’s cute that Kelani finally got a personality. She said she’ll send Jordan to a medical facility like Jordynne. Blake hit Jordan with a headbutt. Vice and Jordan dumped Blake and Parker from the ring. Parker shoved Blake to the floor when Blake hugged her for being on the same side as her…
Izzi Dame, Shawn Spears, and Niko Vance were encouraging Tatum Paxley backstage. Spears said he talked to Ava and got Tatum a North American title shot. Izzi promised that they will all be at ringside with her. Paxley said gave them all hugs, and walked off with them, saying she loves her new family. The camera panned over to Luca Crucifino watching The Culling, saying “no family lasts forever”…
Lash Legend was walking backstage, talking about how she’s coming after the NXT Women’s Championship…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A bit odd to have the usual lineup of contenders to be for a person who’s not a champion, but it looks like that was more to set up Parker and Blake vs. Kelani and Vice. Two weird alignment things being I’m not sure where Parker and Kelani line up in terms of being heel and face because they flip flop week to week (Parker’s extremely over, while Kelani has been a bit ice cold since developing her more mopey character). I’m okay with the body shaming angle Blake is going for because she needs to find a way to draw boos due to her being extremely popular and you don’t want her popularity undercutting Jordynne Grace.
Ethan Page was shown doing resistance band bicep curls in the locker room…
Lash Legend made her entrance to her really bland music (it was so bland, that I thought it was a bumper ad read, so I almost wasn’t paying attention). Fatal Influence was already in the ring…
3. Lash Legend vs. Fallon Henley (w/Jacy Jayne, Jazmyn Nyx). Lash hit Fallon with a reverse version of Sheamus’s ten beats move. Lash slammed Henley to the mat. The Joe Hendry turn graphic flashed on the screen again. Lash banged Fallon’s head on the 2nd and top rope, right into a backbreaker. Fallon came back with a Blockbuster. Henley hit Lash with a twisting X Factor for a nearfall. Fallon hit Lash with a modified Stratusfacton.
Lash shrugged off Fallon and hit her with a headbutt. Lash hit Henley with a Fallaway Slam. Lash punched Henley off the top rope to ringside. Lash punched Nyx when Henley used Nyx as a human shield. Lash gave Jayne a pump kick when Jacy tried to hit Lash with the belt. Nia Jax showed up outta nowhere and shoved Lash to the floor while Fallon distracted the referee. After Nia tossed Lash back in the ring, Fallon hit Lash with a Fame Asser for the victory.
Fallon Henley defeated Lash Legend via pinfall in 4:12.
After the match, Nia Jax gave Lash an A-Nia-Lator and called her a “boujee bitch” while sitting on her…
Vic hyped Evans vs. Lee for after the break…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Side note, it was the 2nd time tonight that WWE cut in a Joe Hendry graphic teaser in the middle of the match. They are obviously setting up something. Anyways, I felt like this was a random match when I first saw it. The TNA, NXT, and North American titles in play along with people lining up to face Blake Monroe has the women’s division all over the place at the moment. I did like Nia Jax showing up because she is a big star and it looks like this sets up Lash Legend for her first big program in WW . I hope they give Lash some mic time to get over because she is a great talker, but they haven’t given her mic time nor scripted her to say anything meaningful.
Josh Briggs was seething in the lounge area about losing his match last week. Yoshiki Inamura showed up and people dragged a fired up Briggs to the back. Stacks stepped up to Inamura talking about how family doesn’t last forever. Inamura didn’t like Stacks getting in his face and shoved him down. Ariana Grace showed up and asked Stacks if he was okay (last time I remember, they were dating in real life)…
Trick Williams joined the commentary table for the next match…
4. Je’von Evans vs. Wes Lee (w/Tyson Dupont, Tyriek Igwe, Trick Williams). Evans jumped Wes during his entrance. The referee separated both men before ringing the bell. Evans hit Wes with a high slingshot clothesline for a nearfall. Wes tossed Evans to the mat and gloated a bit. Evans dodged a Standing Shooting Star. Both men dodged each others’ CQC. Evans took down Wes with a stiff chop.
Evans worked on Wes with several chops. Wes came back with a few kidney punches. Wes worked on Evans with methodical offense. Evans came back with a stiff thrust kick. Igwe and Dupont distracted Evans which allowed Wes to trip him to ringside. Wes hit Evans with a flip dive heading into break.[c]
Wes worked on Evans with methodical offense. Evans ended Wes’s rally with a right hook and high kick. Evans hit Wes with a Snap German Suplex. Evans hit Wes with a high Superman Forearm and flip overhead kick for a two count. Vic joked that Evans hit Wes so hard he’ll think his name is Dezmond [Xavier]. Wes came right back with a Tornado DDT. Wes hit Evans with a Brainbuster for a good nearfall.
Evans tripped Wes to set him up in the Tree of Woe. Evans went to the opposite corner and hit Wes with a crazy looking Coast to Coast Swanton. Evans hit Wes with a very high Frog Splash for a good nearfall. Dupont got on the apron for the distraction. Igwe held on to Je’von’s leg. Evans fended off High Ryze. Evans took out Dupont and Igwe with a top rope clearing dive.
Wes rolled up Evans for a two count. Wes caught Evans with the Kardiak Kick. Jevon used his long legs to get a foot on the top rope. Vic noted that Wes accidentally put Je’von’s leg on the rope by hooking the leg. Je’von caught Wes with a cutter. Evans then hit Wes with his signature high springboard RKO for the victory.
Je’von Evans defeated Wes Lee via pinfall in 13:02.
Oba Femi appeared from the crow’s nest. Trick, Oba, and Evans all posed against each other…
Graves hyped Ethan Page vs. Santino Marella as the main event of this week’s show…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A fun match between two of NXT’s best athletes. While I feel bad Wes Lee is NXT’s Dolph Ziggler at the moment, in that he’s so great at selling, that they use him as an enhancement wrestler to the stars; I do also understand the reason they have him in the role because he’s so good at making others look good (a part of me is wondering if WWE is waiting until Zach Wentz’s TNA contract runs out before putting MSK back together and picking up where they left off with MSK’s huge push).
Vic Joseph hyped up WWE’s Summerslam weekend events while also showing the construction happening for the event at MetLife Stadium…
A sitodown interview aired between Vic Joseph and Myles Borne. Vic wondered if the things Lexis King has been saying about Borne has been hurting him? Borne said King is just stirring the pot. Borne talked about how he was deaf from birth and even flatlined twice when he was born. He said the doctors had to helicopter him to a facility and plug him to a radiation ventilator. Borne said while the radiation kept him alive, it took away 90% of his hearing in both ears.
Vic said it must be a struggle for Borne to communicate. He said as a kid he taught himself ot read lips. He said he learned to talk at 4 years. He said he used to force his parents to direct their lips towards him. He said lip reading is a cheat code for him. He said he even makes sure his parents point the rear view mirror at their mouths so he can develop lip reading practice. Vic started talking, and Borne joked that he didn’t hear him. He said he was just messin’.
He said he likes to have fun about his disability and it helps tune out the haters like Lexis King. Vic thanked Borne for the interview…
Robert Stone and Stevie Turner informed GM Ava that Jordynne Grace was recovering well. Lexis King stormed in and said that Borne is faking his deafness. King said if Borne is deaf, he’s blind as a bat. Ava booked King in a match against Borne next week. King said he’ll prove Borne is a fraud…
The following matches were advertised for next week: Blake Monroe vs. Kelani Jordan, Sol Ruca vs. Tatum Paxley for the Women’s North American Championship, and Hank and Tank vs. Connors and Dixon for the NXT Tag Team Championships…
TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella made is entrance to his old WWE theme. Vic noted that this was Santino’s first match in WWE since June of 2014…[c]
A preview aired for WWE’s Unreal series on Netflix…
A unseen interviewer caught up with Fatal Influence. Henley and Jayne blamed Nyx for not handling business tonight. Nia Jax pulled the camera towards her and trash talked about Lash Legend not measuring up to her…
All Ego Ethan Page made his entrance…
5. “All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Santino Marella for the NXT North American Championship. Santino worked on Page with a standing switch into a crucifix for a two count. Santino got a two count after a rollup. Santino kept working in rollups for nearfalls. An “Ethan Pa Gae” chant ensued. Page worked on Santino with methodical offense. Another, Joe Hendry graphic cut-in happened (third of the night). Santino rallied with armdrags for a two count. Santino got a two count off a Jackknife Pin.
Page hit Santino with a jawbreaker on the top rope. Page put the boots to Santino. An “E G O is A S S” chant ensued. Santino got a two count after a Sunset Flip. Page flattened Santino with a Mafia Kick. Page got a few two counts after a neckbreaker. A “Pa Gae Sucks” chant ensued. Page put Santino in a chinlock. Santino got to a vertical base and rallied with gut punches. Santino put Page in a Helicopter Spin and knocked himself out due to getting dizzy.
Page dodged Santino’s signature headbutt. Santino reversed a Twisted Grin into a Stunner. Santino hit Page with his signature headbutt for a nearfall. A ” you still got it” chant ensued. Page hit Santino with a high TKD spin kick for a nearfall. A “we want cobra” chant ensued. Santino got the knees up to block a splash from Page. Santino rallied with his Dusty Punches into a hip toss.
Santino hit Page with a Plancha to ringside. Santino pulled out the Cobra sock and put it on. Page used the referee to block the Cobra. Page poked Santino in the eye and hit him with the Twisted Grin (Twist of Fate) for the victory.
All Ego Ethan Page defeated Santino Marella via pinfall in 7:08 to retain the NXT North American Championship.
All Ego Ethan Page posed at the top of the ramp with his title to close the show…
But wait, there’s more. The show cut to Tony D’Angelo sitting at the table. A waiter handed him a glass of wine and called him “Don”. Tony D said you don’t have to call him Don anymore, just “Tony D”. After the waiter left, Tony D was setting up to eat dinner. Off screen, someone approached Tony D and engulfed him in shadow. NXT closed (So, like Luca before, Tony D may or may not be “dead”?)…
John’s Thoughts: Not necessarily a mat classic, but Santino looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. At first, it felt like he was appearing in TNA as a short term favor for Scott D’Amore as a minor comedy character, but over time he hasn’t left and it looks like he’s found his love for professional wrestling again. This is made even more wholesome due to the fact that he gets to go to work alongside his daughter every taping. Ever since becoming the full-time authority figure on TNA television, he has been wrestling part time and looking better than the end of his first WWE run.
If you want to see a hidden gem of a good match, check out Santino’s match against Josh Alexander from a TNA Plus show two or three years ago (DO NOT watch that PPV though. It was ASS! It was one of TNA’s Southpaw Regional Wrestling throwback ripoff shows.). Even though that show was ass, the one fun match was seeing Santino do well against one of the best in-ring technicians in the world. Overall, a decent episode of NXT, but I think WWE has to do a bit more to make it must-watch again. Slow building, after those weeks of erratic building due to WWE overstuffing their weekends against AEW. Good matches and backstage segments this week. What this show was missing was vignettes, pre-tapes, and cinematics to round out the production.
Right now for the first time in my life I enjoy women’s wrestling more than the men. I can’t put my finger on why it’s better, but for me it is.
As some weeks of NXT show, NXT’s deep and talented women’s division makes it hard for the men to get TV time (and that’s a good problem to have). We’re starting to see that in the main roster after Evolution.
If it draws, push it. Reminds me of back in the day when Dutch Mantel was booking the Knockouts division and his produced segments were the highest quarter hours in TNA history (Don’t tell me Charlotte, Sasha, Bayley, and Becky started the “Women’s Revolution”. It was Kong, Gail, and the Knockouts, and they were doing it a decade earlier).
Vic Joseph saying “Desmond” in relation to Wes Lee got a laugh out of me! I see what he did there! Hope I’m not the only one!
Decent episode overall.
On a side note, the only LJN videogame that I ever enjoyed back then was Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage for the SNES. It was a classic!